Depositional and facies models: The bay of Mont Saint-Michel (France)

This field course will allow watching, describing and then understanding how the modern sediments and potential reservoir bodies are spatially organised within a coastal landscape characterised by one of the highest tidal range in the world and a very fast sedimentary evolution at human scale. The bay of Mont-Saint-Michel is a unique «live» site to illustrate the depositional rules which control the facies distribution within three main geomorphological domains of this macrotidal environment such as: (1) western muddy to sandy tidal flats, (2) large estuary with complex tidal channel network near the Mont-Saint-Michel, (3) sandy beach and dune resulting from wave and wind action in the eastern sector. The teaching method is based on «learning by doing» approach. Priority is given to field examination of the large spectrum of sedimentary features at various scales. A few and short lectures are restricted to basic knowledge required for efficiently work in the field and classroom. Individual and teamwork including facies mapping, seismic interpretation and high-resolution correlation exercises is provided in order to promote mutual interactions between doctoral students with slightly different backgrounds. Indicative program: First day: Travel from Geneva to Mont Saint-Michel Bay. Second day: introduction and western muddy bay. Third day: western sandy bay. Four day: Couesnon estuary. Five day: Selune and See estuaries. Six day: return to Geneva